The day book. (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917, May 20, 1916, LAST EDITION, Image 7

Image and text provided by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL

THE HUB GRANTS LIVING WAGE 1TO WORKERSThe Hub, owned by Henry C.Lytton & Sons, one of the largestretail clothing firms in the country,has just signed one of the most humane union agreements ever granted employes by a large corporation.Without a fieht beine made on: their store, the Lyttons yesterdaysigned with the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America. Under itsterms the male workers are granteda minimum wage of $16 and thewomen a minimum wage of $9. Aweek's vacation with full pay will begiven, working time is shortened 4y2hours a week and overtime pay is increased. In addition, the store willincrease wages from year to year.Sidney Hillman, internationalpresident of the union, characterizedThe Hub's step as one of the greatest advances made by union labor."This means a great deal to .ourunion," he said. "When a big storelike The Hub realizes the value of,employing union labor it will probably wake up a lot of the employerswho refuse to deal with the union.The friendly attitude of the Lyttonsin the negotiations with our organization has been one of my mostpleasant experiences in Chicago.There was no quibblmgs over details.The Lyttons asked us to present ouragreement, there were a few conferences .and they signed."The Hub sent out a statement onthe agrement to all the Chicago papers yesterday. The Examiner wasthe only one in which it appearedthis morning. The Tribune and Herald, probably fearing the wrath ofMarshall Field & Co. and the otherState street stores who are fightingthe union, suppressed it Here isThe Hub statement:"The Hiib, Henry C. Lytton &Sons, have just signed an agreementwith the .Amalgamated ClothingWorkers of America granting its tailors shorter hours and a liberal increase in wages, which will be furtherincreased from year to year, totalingmany thousand?' of dollars, whilemaintaining- vacations with pay andmany other benefits of great valueto the workers characteristic of thisinstitution."The Hub makes the statementthat Mr. Samuel Levin, who represented the clothing workers duringnegotiations, acted for the union ina very fair manner, meeting the requirements of the retail business."The Hub, Henry C. Lytton &Sons, being the largest men's retailclothing store in the world, has always made it a point to employ thebest tailoring talent, and is glad thatthe agreement with the Union will assure them of a continuous supply ofthis grade of labor. The mutual goodwill at all times prevailing betweenThe Hub and its many employes isthus further strengthened and boundto result in higher efficiency and improved service for its many patrons."George Lytton, vice pres. of TheHub, gave out further details of theagreement last night He said:"We learned about two weeks agothat the employes in our shop wereorganizing. We called a few of themin and they explained their plans.We then got in touch with the unionand the agreement resulted."We feel that the added expenseit will cost us in meeting the payroll will be equalized by the increased good will of our employes. Wehave always found that when youkeep your employes satisfied bytreating them fairly they will co-operatewith you and more efficientwork results.''The Hub has always taken pridein the loyalty of its employes. Bygranting them the union wage without a fight we have simply followedour own policy."Lytton was asked for an opinionon the chances of the union to induce some of the other big Statestreet stores to sign agreements."I wouldn't like to say much aboutthat," he said. "However, I imagine